Tampon applicator



I Dec. 20, 1938; i Q P. B. VALLE 6 TAMPON APPLICATOR Filed sept. 26,1936.

Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Connecticut HardHaven, Conn, a corp Rubber Company, New oration of ConnecticutApplication September 26, 1936, Serial No. 102,767

'7 Claims.

This invention relates toa tampon-applicator, and more particularly to adevice designed to serve as a medicinal applicator in passages of thehuman body, particularly the vaginal passage, for

:5 which the shape of the present article is particularly adapted.

In devices of this character it is desirable to provide a tampon whichwill effectively seal the canal or passage in which it is used, andwhich at the same time may be folded or reduced in, size 'for insertioninto the passage, the device expanding after it has been inserted topress against and make contact with the passage wall so as to seal thesame. It is also desirable to provide means for supplying a medicatedpreparation to the passage or to the organs with which the passagecommunicates, such as the cervix, for example.

The device shown herein is also adapted to be employed as a support forthe uterus, so that it may be effectively used in cases where such asupport is desired, as when a patient is suffering from so-calledprolapsed condition of the uterus.

One object of the invention is the provision of a tampon applicatorwhich may be readily and easily inserted in the vaginal passage andwhich at the same time will expand to press against the walls of thepassage and seal the-same.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thecharacter described which will be so formed that it may be compressed orfolded into relatively small size for insertion in the vaginal passage.

A still further object of the invention is a device of the characterdescribed which will have provision for containing medicinal preparationto be applied to the organs of the person employing the same.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of atampon-applicator which will serve as a support for the uterus when in aprolapsed condition,and which will be properly shaped to lie in theproper position for such support, and so constructed that it will ofierresistance to any tendency of the uterus to drop to an abnormalposition.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features andcombinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a tamponapplicator embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view after a preliminary folding or compressingoperation of the device,

the view being taken looking toward the lower end of the applicator;

Fig. 4 is a side el-evational view of the device in the position shownin Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view looking at the device in the same direction as in. Fig.8 but illustrating its appearance after a further folding operation; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevational View of the device in the position shown inFig. 5.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention I have shown atampon-applicator having a body portion [0 of generally spherical oregg-shaped form. The device will preferably be made of a relatively softelastic material such as sponge rubber, for example. In any case,however, the surface of the article will preferably be smooth andnonporous, although the texture below the surface shall be such that thedevice will be soft and readily compressible and flexible.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper portion of the device is cut off asat H, and at this portion is provided a cavity l2 of generallysemi-spherical shape. Likewise, at the lower portion of one side thebody is also cut off as at l3, and a cavity I4 provided at this point,the cut-01f portions causing the body to have a generally oblatespherical shape.

It will be noted that the cavity I2 terminates in a relatively thin edgel5, as does likewise the cavity I 4, as shown at I6. Between these edgesthe walls of the body will be relatively thick, as shown, for example,at the front part of the device I! and also at the rear side or rearwall of the tampon, as at I8.

Between the cavities l2 and M is a disphragm 19, this diaphragmseparating the two cavities and being sufficiently thin to be veryflexible, while at the same time being sufficiently thick to support thewalls and space them from each other, and act to some degree to effectthe expansion of the device after it has been folded or compressed forinsertion. As shown this diaphragm is of spherical shape, although I donot intend to limit the invention in this respect.

The principal purpose of the cavity I2 is to provide a container for amedicinal preparation, which is desired to be applied, for example, tothe uterus or surrounding parts. This cavity is also designed to receivethe cervix or neck of the uterus, which extends into the vaginalpassage, so as to support the same. The larger cavity 14 at the lowerpart of the device provides for and permits the folding or compressingof the article into a relatively compact mass so that it may be readilyinserted in place. It may here be noted that the axis of the lowercavity I4 is not in alignment with or parallel to that of the uppercavity l2. Preferably the angle between the axes of the two cavities isapproximately 60, although this may be varied as desired. It has beenfound, however, that this is about the proper angle to provide a deviceof the proper shape whereby, when the upper edge I5 enters the cul desac and surrounds the neck of the uterus, the lower rear wall l8 willrest against the opposite side of the vaginal canal and properlysup-port the uterus from falling.

It may also be noted that the greatest resistance of the article tocompression is along an axis between the front wall I! and the rear walll8. This is due to the design and shape of the walls and of the cavitiesl 2 and 14. When the device is in position, as described in thepreceding paragraph, this resistance to compression acts as an upwardforce through the diaphragm I9 to maintain the uterus in its normalposition. Also the size of the cavities in the device and the consequentrelatively small amount of material in the walls thereof make thearticle very light, so that it will give no discomfort to the user.

When it is desired to insert the tampon, it is folded and compressed asshown in Figs. 3 to 6. First the thumb is applied approximately at thepoint H at the front of the article, and the front wall pressedinwafrdly toward the rear wall. This position of the device is shownmore especially in Figs. 3 and 4, where, as shown, the front wall I l isconcave in shape, and the side portions are forced outwardly, formingthe lobe portions 20 and 2|. These lobe portions are then graspedbetween the thumb and forefinger and folded together, as shown in Fig 5.The article is then of relatively small size in cross-section, as shown,and the upper end of the device tapers to a comparatively sharp point22. This is the end of the device which will be inserted first, andprovides a tapering shape to provide for an easy insertion of the devicethrough the introitus. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the shape of thetampon when compressed is essentially that of the introitus, so that nodifliculty will be had in its insertion.

After the device has been inserted and pushed upwardly to the desiredposition, it is released and will immediately expand and assume itsnormal shape and size, thus effectually sealing the vaginal passage andat the same time serving as a.

support for the uterus. In addition to keeping the medicinal preparationwhere it is needed, the tampon will exclude foreign substances fromentering the region of the uterus. Also, because of its generally oblatespherical shape, the device, even if incorrectly inserted, will act asan effective tampon or sealer, for it will expand to contact with thecanal walls and make a seal regardless of its position, Owing to itsshape. however, it tends normally to assume the correctposition, andtherefore may be used by anyone without previous training. Also, onaccount of its softness and extreme compressibilty, it need not beespecially made to exact size for the user, and thus the necessity isavoided of having a multiple number of sizes which need to be fitted tothe individual. Y

A cord 23 may be secured to the body of the device, as shown in Figs. 1and 2, so that it may be readily extracted after being used.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention,it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the detailsshown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit ofthe invention and. Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A tampon-applicator comprising a hollow body portion generallyspherical in shape, and a diaphragm extending between the walls of thebody at the intermediate portion thereof, said diaphragm separating thehollow interior portion of the body into an upwardly facing cavity and adownwardly facing cavity and forming the bottom of one cavity and thetop of the other, and the diaphragm being a concavo-convex member toflex downwardly when the body is compressed for insertion.

2. A tampon-applicator comprising a hollow body portion generallyspherical in shape, and a diaphragm extending between the Walls of thebody at the intermediate portion thereof, said diaphragm separating thehollow interior portion of the body into an upwardly facing cavity and adownwardly facing cavity, the last-named cavity being of greater sizethan the former, and having its axis at an oblique angle to the axis ofthe former whereby the body is provided with a relatively large unbrokensurface area on one side and a relatively small surface area upon theopposite side.

3. A tampon-applicator comprising a hollow body portion generallyspherical in shape, and a diaphragm extending between the walls of thebody at the intermediate portion thereof, said diaphragm separating thehollow interior portion of the body into an upwardly facing cavity and adownwardly facing cavity, and the wall of said body tapering inthickness from its intermediate portion toward the upper and lower endsthereof.

4. A tampon-applicator comprising a hollow body portion generallyspherical in shape, and

a diaphragm extending between the walls of the body at the intermediateportion thereof, said diaphragm separating the hollow interior portionof the body into an upwardly facing cavity and a downwardly facingcavity, and the axis of said lower cavity being disposed at an angle tothe axis of the upper cavity, and the said lower cavity opening throughthe forward side of the device whereby the rear wall is of considerablygreater length than the front wall.

5. A tampon-applicator comprising a generally hollow body ofsubstantially spherical shape, said body having a relatively long rearwall and a relatively short front wall, a diaphragm extending across theinterior of said body at an intermediate portion thereof, said bodybeing made of a soft elastic material, and the front wall thereof beingdisplaceable toward the rear wall to decrease the thickness of the body,and the sides of the body being thereafter foldable together over thedisplaced front wall to decrease the cross-sectional size of thearticle.

6. A tampon-applicator being of generally spherical shape and having arelatively short front wall and a relatively long rear wall, said tamponhaving an upwardly facing cavity surrounded by a relatively thin edgedesigned to enter the cul de sac of the human body, whereby the cervixis received in said cavity and the relatively long rear wall of thedevice serves to support it in position.

7. An applicator member comprising a body of insoluble flexible materialof generally spherical shape, said body having a cavity opening throughthe upper end thereof and a cavity opening through the lower portionthereof, said. cavtional size, the axes of said cavities being at anities being separated byadiaphragm which forms oblique angle one to theother, and the outer the bottom of the upper cavity, and said cavitiessurface of the body being substantially spherical rendering the body ofsaid member substantially except where cut off by said cavities.

hollow whereby it may be compressed and folded into a shape of smallerthan normal cross-sec- PAUL B. VALLE.

